Device for the production of folded products

ABSTRACT

A device is used for producing folded products from sheets or partial sheets. The folding device includes a folding assembly that is provided with at least three forming hoppers which are aligned in a staggered and horizontal manner relative to one another, and laterally in the direction of sheet movement. Each of the hoppers has a width of at least two upright newspaper pages or of four printed pages lying in tabloid format. When viewed from a horizontal position, the hoppers at least partially overlap in a vertical direction. At least one of the outer hoppers is hoppers is offset vertically with respect to an inner hopper.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The subject U.S. patent application is the U.S. National Phase ofPCT/DE02/04610, filed Dec. 17, 2002; published as WO 03/055776 A1 onJul. 10, 2003, and claiming priority to DE 101 63 209.6, filed Dec. 21,2001.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a device for making foldedproducts. The folded products are produced in a folder structure whichcontains a hopper group with three hoppers, or two hopper groups, eachwith at least two hoppers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A hopper structure for a double-width printing press is known from DE 3237 504 A1. A third hopper is arranged next to two hoppers at the samelevel for increasing production options. The webs, which are laterallyturned out of the press, are longitudinally folded on the hopper and canbe further processed in one of two folders placed underneath the hopperarrangement.

A hopper structure for a triple-width printing press is known from DE 2510 057 A1, and which has three upper hoppers and three lower hoppers,each arranged side-by-side. The hoppers of the lower and upper levelsare rotated by 180° about their vertical linear axes in such a way thatthe backs of the folded products are on different sides.

A hopper structure for a triple-width printing press is also known fromDE 41 28 797 C2. Six hoppers are arranged on three levels for increasingproduction.

EP 1 145 850 A1 shows a hopper arrangement of a printing press forprinting illustrations wherein, besides a first hopper of a width offour A4 pages, a correspondingly wider, or partially wider, secondhopper and a third, partially wider, smaller hopper are arranged. Thetwo hoppers located on the outside of the hopper arrangement, andtherefore the folded strands formed by these hoppers, can be displacedin the longitudinal direction of the printing press in order to makepossible a displaced deposition of the subsequently transversely cutproducts.

A split web guidance roller for guiding a double-width web is known fromDE 199 59 152 A1. The two roller sections can be driven independently ofeach other by their own drive motors for the simultaneous production oftwo different products each having a different number of pages.

DE 42 04 254 C2 shows two hoppers arranged on one level, which twohoppers are arranged to be horizontally movable. A third hopper isarranged on a level above or below these two hoppers and is centeredwith respect to an incoming whole web.

Folder structures which are arranged above two folders that are placedunderneath are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,050. Strands of a lowerhopper group can be conducted to one folder, and strands of an upperhopper group can be conducted to the other folder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is directed to providing a devicefor making folded products.

In accordance with the present invention, the object is attained by theprovision of a device for making folded products which can consist of afolder structure having at least three hoppers in a hopper group, or twohopper groups, each with at least two hoppers. These hoppers can bearranged in different positions with respect to each other to foldlongitudinal strands passing through the device. The several hoppergroups or hoppers in one of the groups can be arranged at differentlevels. The hoppers can also be displaced laterally with respect to eachother.

The advantages to be attained by the present invention lie, inparticular, in that a great amount of flexibility in the products of aprinting press is created, without endangering the operationaldependability and/or the product quality of the press, and whilemaintaining a predetermined structural height. The least possiblestructural space is required without this being accomplished at the costof the operational dependability and/or product quality of the press.

The arrangement of a third hopper next to two other hoppers makes anincreased product variety possible. In particular, in connection withtwo folders assigned to the three hoppers and/or in connection with anembodiment of two levels of hoppers arranged one above the other, witheach level having three hoppers, this arrangement offers the possibilityof producing different products in parallel. In connection withdouble-width printing presses, the arrangement can be one of two folderssubstantially aligned with the printing press, i.e. with the first twohoppers aligned with the printing press, so that the products runningover these two hoppers can be each selectively conducted over theshortest possible distance into one of the two folders, or can beconducted together into one of the folders.

With respect to product variety and efficiency, it is of particularadvantage to drive the rollers assigned to the third hopperindependently for transporting the partial webs. In a furtherdevelopment, all of the rollers and/or partial rollers, or groups ofrollers, are embodied with their own drive motors for this purpose. Thisis also made possible, without a need for additional structural space,by use of the displaced arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the device for the production of foldedproducts in accordance with the present invention is represented in thedrawings and will be described in greater detail in what follows.

Shown are in:

FIG. 1, a schematic front elevation view of a hopper structure inaccordance with the present invention, and in

FIG. 2, a side elevation view of a variant of the web transport.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A printing press, and in particular, a web-fed rotary printing press,has printing groups or printing units, which are not specificallyrepresented, and by the use of which, several webs 01 of material to beimprinted, webs 01 for short, can be imprinted. The printing units areembodied as being “double wide”, for example, which means that theprinting cylinders have a length which corresponds to at least fourprinted pages, for example four newspaper pages in Rhenic, Berlin, NewYork Times format, etc., or a length which corresponds to eighthorizontal pages in tabloid format such as pages of a telephonedirectory, for example.

After the double-width webs 01 in the above-described example, i.e. thefour printed pages of a width b01 of the web 01, have been imprinted inthe printing units, they are conveyed to a hopper structure 02 forfurther processing. On the way to the hopper structure 02, the webs 01are cut in the longitudinal direction into partial webs 01 a, 01 b by acutting device, which is not specifically represented, and are combinedinto web a strand 03 or 04, respectively as seen in FIG. 1. Threecutting devices can also be arranged for use with printing in tabloidformat, which three cutting devices cut the webs 01 longitudinally intoquarters and into a corresponding number of strands 03, 04. In FIG. 1,combining the webs 01 into the strand 03, 04 takes place through the useof a separate combining roller 06, or a group of combining rollers 06,before the strand 03, 04 is afterwards conducted, via a roller 07,embodied for example, as a hopper roller 07, to respective hoppers 08,09, for example, which are embodied as so-called double hoppers 08, 09.The hoppers 08, 09 are preferably arranged aligned with the respectivepartial webs 01 a, 01 b, so that during so-called “straight forwardoperations” these partial webs 01 a, 01 b run up on the respectivehopper 08, 09 without displacement. In an advantageous embodiment, thecombining roller 06 and the hopper roller 07 each have their own drivemotors 11, 12, by the operation of which drive motors 11, 12 the webtension can be set or adjusted. In a further development, the roller 06and/or the roller 07 can be embodied as rollers 06, 07 which are dividedover their length, and in which each partial roller element can bedriven by its own drive motor 11, 12, with each roller thus having twodrive motors 11, 12, as seen in FIG. 1.

A folding unit 13 is arranged downstream of the hopper structure 02 andhas two folders 14, 16. In an advantageous embodiment of the presentinvention, and as schematically represented in FIG. 1, the two folders14, 16 each have their own drive motors 17, 18. The strands 03, 04 canbe fed selectively together to either one of the two folders 14, 16, oreach strand 03, 04 can be fed to a separate one of the folders 14, 16.For setting the paths to be travelled by the two strands 03, 04 betweenthe hoppers 08, 09 and the folders 14, 16, at least one deflectionroller 19, or roller 19, whose position can be changed, is provided. Theat least one deflection roller 19 can be rotatorily driven by its owndrive motor, which is not specifically represented, and its position canbe changed by the provision of an actuating drive, which also is notspecifically represented.

The two folders 14, 16 of the folding unit 13 are advantageouslyaligned, with respect to each other, and with respect to the two hoppers08, 09, in such a way that the strands 03, 04 can be fed to the twofolders 14, 16 over the shortest possible distance. In an ideal case,the two folders 14, 16 are arranged underneath the hoppers 08, 09 insuch a way that the respective inlets into the two folders 14, 16, i.e.folder inlet rollers 21, 22, for example a folder inlet roller group 21,22, assigned to each respective folder 14, 16, can each liesymmetrically, in relation to a center plane M, between the two hoppers08, 09. Distances between an inlet into the folder 14, 16 and thehoppers 08, 09, which are respectively arranged “crossed” above them,should not differ by more than 200 mm, and preferably by not more than100 mm. The center plane M is located parallel to and is centeredbetween two planes which extend through the longitudinally foldedstrands 03, 04 in the area of rollers 23, 24, for example the tractionor transfer rollers 23, 24 assigned to the hoppers 08, 09. As a rule,these planes coincide with planes of symmetry E08, E09 of the hoppers08, 09, such as is represented in FIG. 1. Additional pairs of rollers25, for example pairs of folding rollers 25, are typically arrangedbetween the traction or transfer rollers 23, 24 and the hoppers 08.

It is possible, by use of the device for the production of foldedproducts in accordance with the present invention, for example duringcollecting operations and when utilizing “double-sized” printingcylinders, for example by using a forme cylinder has a circumferencecorresponding to two upright printed pages and, if necessary, includingnon-printing parts, such as fastening devices, etc., to produce aproduct with a maximum of four books. If there is no collection, or ifthe forme cylinders merely have a single circumference, two books can beproduced. The four or two books can be selectively all conducted to oneof the two folders 14, 16, or can be split up between both folders 14,16.

With the provision of a third hopper 26, whose plane of symmetry E26 isarranged transversely, with respect to the running direction of the webs01, and which is horizontally displaced with respect to the planes ofsymmetry E08, E09 of the first two hoppers 08, 09, the flexibility ofthe device, with regard to possible products, is considerably increased.Webs 01, in particular, partial webs 01 which, for example, through theoperations of linear cutting and turning via turning bars, which are notspecifically represented, have been brought out of the row of the webs01 directed to hoppers 08, 09, into the row of the third hoppers 26,are, in their running direction, centered with respect to the plane ofsymmetry E26 of the third hopper 26, are, for example, first combinedinto a strand 29 by a combining roller 28 of their own, which isdifferent from the combining roller 06, before they are conducted, forexample via their own hopper roller 31, which is different from thehopper roller 07, for example a hopper roller 31, to the third hopper26. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention each of the rollers28, 31 has its own drive motor 32, 33, by the use of which, the tensionof the partial webs 27, or of the strand 29, can be set, or can beregulated individually with respect to the remaining strands 03, 04. Inthe case of a double-width printing press, the third hopper 26, as wellas its assigned rollers 28, 31 and feeding devices, are arrangedlaterally, with respect to the row of the printing press or its printingunits. In this way, the straight production of conventional products isstill provided via the two first hoppers 08, 09 which are called, forexample, main hoppers, and, for an expanded production, the option of aproduction via the third hopper 26 called, for example, a side hopper isprovided. The tip of the displaced side hopper 26 is arranged inalignment with the tip of the adjacent main hopper 09 in such a way thatthe strands 04, 29, for example the backs of the respective foldedproduct, come to rest on top of each other after having been broughttogether. The tips of the hoppers 08, 09, 26 are located in the sameplane, which plane is defined by the running direction of the strands03, 04, 29 when leaving the hopper 08, 09, 26 at its tip and normal tothe plane of the folded strand 03, 04, 29. As a rule, this plane extendsgenerally vertically and lies parallel, with respect to the longitudinaldirection of the rollers 07 and/or 31.

The third hopper 26 is preferably configured as a hopper 26 that isequivalent to the other hoppers 08, 09, for use with a width of apartial web 27 having two printed pages, for example two uprightnewspaper pages or, for example, four horizontal pages in tabloidformat. This means that there is no difference between the options ofthe possible partial products, or books, which can be foldedlongitudinally on the various hoppers 08, 09, 26. Following lower end ofhopper 26, rollers 34, for example traction or transfer rollers 34, havealso been assigned to it. Here, too, at least a further pair of rollers35, such as, for example folding rollers 35, are also typically arrangedbetween the traction or transfer rollers 34 and the hopper 26.

The arrangement of the third or side hopper 26 laterally next to the twoother main hoppers 08, 09 requires a widening of the hopper structure 02from, for example, a width b01 of a double-width web 01, plus possiblelateral projections because of a frame, drive motors, rollerprojections, etc., to at least the width of one triple-width web, or ofone and a half double-width webs 01. A maximum distance between twostrands 03, 04 is now increased by a distance a1 between the strand 04and the strand 29, as seen in FIG. 1.

The deflection of a strand 03, 04, 29, consisting of several webs 01 orof several partial webs 27, in particular, causes problems with aninterference-free guidance of the web or strand because of a possibledanger of a break in the web, the possibility of overstressing the web01, 27, and also because of other traction and/or guidance elements andwith the quality of the resultant product. The latter is caused by awave formation or by creasing of a web 01 or of a partial web 27, which“lies on the inside” during the deflection of the strand 03, 04, 29, asa result of different expansion stress, or of rubbing of the imprintedwebs 01 or partial webs 07 against each other. In the first case, thisproblem can lead to errors in the cutting register of the webs 01, 27with respect to each other, and, in the last case, can possibly lead toa worsening of the printed image. Although, in the course of repeateddirection changes from the hopper 08, 09, 26 to the folder 14, 16, theresulting direction change problem is, as a rule, removed, or isreduced, at least partially by “positive” and “negative” directionchanges, taking into consideration the preceding sign, the sum of theamounts or numbers of the individual direction changes is of greatimportance for considerations of dependability and quality.

Dependable and exact running of the strands 03, 04, 29 while, at thesame time, a compact construction, is achieved in the present invention,in that the third hopper 26 is arranged vertically displaced withrespect to the second hopper 09. In contrast to the location of a thirdhopper arranged directly above one of the other two hoppers 08, 09, thispositioning results in a considerable saving in the structural height ofthe device, since it is necessary to provide feeding devices, which arenot specifically represented, to the hoppers 08, 09, 26 in therespective structural area on each hopper level next to the hoppers 08,09, 26.

Although the third hopper 26 increases the maximum distance between twostrands 03, 04, 29 by at least the width of the partial web 27, in thearrangement depicted in FIG. 1 there are clearly a reduced number ofdirectional changes required for the strands 03, 04, 29, and inparticular for the strand 29, in contrast to the customary or prior artarrangement. Correspondingly, with a constant radius of a roller, forexample a deflection roller, or a driven traction roller, reduced webloop angles are possible, in comparison to an arrangement of the hopper26 on the level of the two other hoppers 08, 09.

A vertical displacement of the third hopper 26, with respect to the twohoppers 08, 09, by a height h1 is preferably of such a size that anangle α between the horizontal line H09 at the height of the laststructural component toward the bottom assigned to the hopper 09, forexample the last traction or transfer roller 24 toward the bottom ofhopper 09, and a connecting line V1 between the corresponding two laststructural components toward the bottom of hopper 26, in this case afterthe last lower rollers 24 and 34, is at least equal to or greater than15°. In general, the last structural component of a hopper is to beunderstood as being the structural component which is located farthesttoward the bottom of the hopper, and which is fixedly connected with thehopper 08, 09, 26 as a structural group. This can be, for example, thenip of one of several successively arranged pairs of rollers 24, 34, ora lowest point of a deflection roller or of a traction roller connectedat a fixed distance, with the exception of adjustment purposes to thehopper 08, 09. Since, as a rule, the hopper 08, 09, 26, with theadjoining rollers 23, 24, 34, constitutes a structural group with fixeddistances, except for adjustment purposes, or with a defined limittoward the bottom, with respect to other guide elements, the height h1of the displacement between hopper 26 and hoppers 08, 09 can also befixed in accordance with the relative position of a fixed referencepoint, for example the location of the lower ends of the hoppers 09, 26,i.e. the hopper tips, with respect to each other, which then, at leastapproximately, corresponds to the height h1 of the displacement of therespectively lowermost structural components.

As previously mentioned, the angle α should be selected to be equal toor greater than 15°, and in particular should be equal to or greaterthan 25°. In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention theangle α lies between 200 and 60α, in FIG. 1 it is approximately 30°.Therefore, the height h1 for the displacement can be derived from theequation tan α=h1/a1.

An increase in a structural height of the hopper structure 02 having thethree side-by-side positioned hoppers 08, 09, 26 with their associatedfeeding devices, each located above them, can, as a rule, be preventedbecause fewer feeding devices must be provided for the third hopper 26than are required to be placed above the two hoppers 08, 09.

The vertical displacement, by the height h1 of the third hopper 26 is ofparticularly great importance if a further level of hoppers 08′, 09′ isprovided above the previously described level of three side-by-sidearranged hoppers 08, 09, 26, or, if for other reasons, it is necessaryto conduct additional webs 01′, additional partial webs 27′ oradditional strands 03′, 04′, 29′ downward and at the side of theprinting press via rollers 36, which may be, for example, guide, ordeflection and/or traction rollers 36, and which may be provided with orwithout their own drive mechanisms. For reasons of clarity, only some ofthese additional rollers 36 have been represented in FIG. 1. As a rule,additional register rollers must be provided, by the use of whichadditional register rollers the linear register between the strands canbe set by deflecting the strands 03′, 04′, 26′.

In this connection, the term “level” is to be understood not as a levelin the sense of an arrangement at exactly the same height of the threehoppers 08, 09, 26, or of the two hoppers 08′ and 09′. Instead itidentifies hoppers 08, 09, 26, or hoppers 08′ and 09′, whose web feedingdevices are respectively located in the same vertical area between twosuch “levels”, or in the area above the last level. Preferably thehoppers 08, 09, 26, or the hoppers 08′ and 09′ are located next to eachother in the horizontal direction in such a way that they at leastpartly overlap in the vertical direction. If operating levels areassigned to the printing press, the hoppers 08′, 09′ of a level can bearranged on a common operating level, or can be accessible from thislevel. In this sense, the hopper structure 02 as seen in FIG. 1, has two“levels” of hoppers 08, 09, 26, or hoppers 08′ and 09′. Such anarrangement of side-by-side arranged, overlapping at least in the mannerpreviously mentioned, groups of hoppers 08, 09, 26, or hoppers 08′, 09′will each be called a hopper group 37, 38, respectively in what follows.

For further increasing the product variety and the product output, aswell as for providing further flexibility, the hopper structure 02 hasthe second hopper group 38 located on a level above the double hopper08, 09 of the first hopper group 37, and with a further double hopper08′, 09′ constituted by the two hoppers 08′, 09′. Additional webs 01′,or partial webs 01 a′, 01 b′, after having been longitudinally cut, areconducted to double hoppers 08′, 09′ in the form of strands 03′, 04′ viacombining rollers 06′ and hopper rollers 07′, which are also driven, inan advantageous embodiment, by their own drive motors 11′, 12′. Rollers23′, 24′, for example traction or deflection rollers 23′, 24′, andfolding rollers 25′, are also assigned to these hoppers 08′, 09′ of thesecond hopper group.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention a third hopper26′ is also laterally arranged next to the double hopper 08′, 09′ of thesecond hopper group 38, and on which a strand 29′ of partial webs 27′,which, after being combined at a roller 28′, is also conducted overrollers 31′ and passes over folding rollers 35′, as well as overtraction or deflection rollers 34′. The arrangement of the second hoppergroup 38 with the three hoppers 08′, 09′, 26′ above the first hoppergroup 37 at the top can be embodied in such a way that all three hoppers08′, 09′, 26′ and their assigned rollers 06′, 28′, or 07′, 31′, 23′,24′, 34′ are all arranged on one level next to each other. The rollers06′, 28′, or 07′, 31′, can possibly be embodied as continuous rollers06′, 28′, or 07′, 31′, if a separate tension regulation is to beomitted.

In an advantageous and cost-effective arrangement, because it isidentical, the third hopper 26′ is also displaced vertically in theabove described way, as was the situation of the third hopper 26.

Guidance of the upper strands 03′, 04′ 29′ is provided for production,wherein these upper strands can all be guided on one side of theprinting press on the outside, past all three lower hoppers 08, 09, 26,and to the folding unit 13. The provision of other web guidance paths,for example between hoppers 08, 09, 26 and/or between strands 03, 04, 29of the lower hopper group 37, is, of course, possible, but is notrepresented, for reasons of clarity in the overview shown in FIG. 1.

A production possibly provided by this arrangement, in addition to thecustomary ones, lies in that one, two or all three strands 03′, 04′, 29′of the upper hopper group 38 can be selectively guided to their “own”folder 16. This means that, besides the production by the use of thefolder 14 from the lower webs 01, 27, it is also possible to eitherproduce a totally different product or, for increasing the printingoutput, to produce the identical product in parallel streams. Differentproducts can be made completely independently of each other on the upperand on the lower printing groups 37, 38 and/or on the two folders 14,16. Each one of the two products can have three books, or six booksduring collection operation. In that case, the webs 01′ for the secondproduct can come from adjoining printing units of a remote section ofthe printing press. Since the rollers 28, 31, 28′, 31′ of each of thethird hoppers 26, 26′, and the rollers 06, 07, 06′, 07′ of the otherhoppers 08, 09, 08′, 09′ of the respective first and second hoppergroups 37, 38 are driven independently of each other, a selectiveassignment to the one or to the other product or folder 14, 16, inparticular of the strand 29, is possible, in case of different products.

As mentioned above, it is of great importance for the “deflection” ofthe upper strands 03′, 04′ 29′ to displace the third hopper 26′vertically upward in the described manner. As can be seen schematicallyin FIG. 1, it is possible to conduct the strands 03′, 04′, 29′dependably, and also while preventing losses of quality of the printedproduct, to the folding unit 13, without it being necessary to increasea height h3 between the inlet into the folders 14, 16, or into theirroller groups 21, 22 and the traction or transfer rollers 23, 24, or therespectively lowermost structural components of the hoppers 08, 09. Thisapplies, in particular, if the above mentioned minimum values of theangle α and the advantageous angular ranges of the angle α are to bemaintained.

So that a total height of the overall hopper structure 02 is notincreased unnecessarily, while at the same time insuring a dependableweb run or a dependable guidance of the strands 03′, 04′, 29′, a heighth2 between the upper end of the lower third hopper 26 and a horizontalline H08′, at the level of the last lower structural component which isfixedly assigned to the hopper 08′ and which guides the strand 03′, inthe depicted example the roller 23′, is not freely selectable. Thedisplacement h1 must be selected, in addition to the requirement for thesize of the angle α, in such a way that an angle β between thehorizontal H08′ and a connecting line V2 between the lower end of theoutside located hopper 08′, or its assigned structural component, andthe outer upper limit, or “corner”, of the lower third hopper 26, whichis arranged on the other side of the printing press is equal to or lessthan 15°.

With the production of newspapers in particular, such an angle β, and aheight h2, which can be determined by the calculation tan β=h2/a2, mustbe maintained in order to assure a dependable guidance of the strands03′, 04′, 29′, which assures a high product quality, and in particular aguidance of the strand 03′, since, as a rule, the latter strand 03′constitutes the outside of the product which has the product title andwhich strand 03′ is mostly a thick outer layer. Here, a2 represents thehorizontal distance a2 between the level E08′ and the above-mentionedoutside located “corner”.

In addition to the deflection and/or the traction rollers represented inFIG. 1, which rollers are not identified in detail, additional, notspecifically represented guide rollers, deflection rollers and possiblyalso other traction rollers can be arranged in the area between theupper hoppers 08′, 09′, 26′ of the second hopper group 38 and the lowerhoppers 08, 09, 26, of the first hopper group 37 in the area between, ornext to the hoppers 08′, 09′, 26′, or the hoppers 08, 09, 26, as well asin the area between the folding unit 13 and the lower hoppers 08, 09,26. However, for reasons of clarity, these additional rollers are notspecifically represented. Also, the guide rollers, turning bars and theother guidance components, which are required for guiding the webs 01,01′, or the partial webs 27, 27′, have not been represented also forreasons of clarity.

The displacement of the side hopper 26 or 26′, with respect to the mainhoppers 08, 09 or 08′, 09′ respectively by the height h1, in regard tothe required structural space and to the compact construction of theprinting press, is also advantageous in regards to the arrangement ofdrive mechanisms, drive motors and possible also to provided gears.

In spite of the provision of the third hopper 26, 26′, it is possible toembody one, or several of the rollers 06, 07, 06′, 07′ as dividedrollers, and to drive each of the roller sections by their own drivemotors. In FIG. 1, drive mechanisms for not visible, partial rollersabove the hoppers 08, 09 are only indicated in dashed lines and by wayof example.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the combiningroller 06, 06′, or 28, 28′ is designed as a combining roller group 06,06′, 28, 28′ which, as depicted in FIG. 2, has two traction rollers 39or 39′ and two contact pressure rollers 41 or 41′, or two groups ofcontact pressure rollers 41 and 41′. This combining roller group 06,06′, 28, 28′ can be driven by its own drive motors 12, 12′, 33, 33′,wherein the individual traction rollers 06, 06′, 28, 28′ and, in thecase of driven contact pressure rollers 41, 41′, the contact pressurerollers 41, 41′, can possibly be driven via a gear 42. Because of thedisplacement, each of these gears 42 can be arranged on the side of theroller groups 06, 06′, 28, 28′ and pointing into the interior of theprinting press, without it being necessary to maintain an additionaldistance between the respectively second hopper 09, 09′ and the thirdhopper 26, 26′. The arrangement depicted in FIG. 2 is possible for usewith both of the hopper groups 37, 39. For this reason, the appropriatereference symbols have been shown for both of the hopper groups 37, 39and, in the case where the lower hopper group 37 is meant, a partial web29′, 04′, 03′, which is visible in this case, has been represented indashed lines. This arrangement is housed in a frame 43, which isproduced from several individual parts.

The above described arrangement of the third hoppers 26, 26′ is, inparticular, suitable for use with double-width printing presses, whereinthe partial webs 27, 27′ are turned “out of” the row of the printingpress, and makes possible the production of additional strands 29, 29′,or books. This applies, in particular, to retrofitting of existingprinting presses, wherein the height h3 is already preset and cannot bechanged, in the sense of a dependable strand guidance. This arrangementalso applies to printing presses to be newly constructed, for whichprinting presses as low as possible a total height is to be realizedbecause of reasons of exterior constraints or because of the costsconnected therewith.

The displaced arrangement of the three hoppers 08, 09, 26, arrangedside-by-side can be used, with the above-mentioned advantages, asdescribed, for a hopper structure 02 with only one level or hopper group37, as well as for hopper structures 02 with two levels, or hoppergroups 37, 38, which are arranged on top of each other, as shown inFIG. 1. The spatial assignment of the two outer hoppers 08, 26, withrespect to one of the two machine sides, can, of course, also bereversed. In a further development of the present invention, it is alsopossible to displace the two outside located hoppers 08, 26 upwardly, inrelation to the center hopper 09, in the described way. In a stillfurther development, it is also advantageous to employ the describedhopper structures 02 in connection with printing units for use inimprinting “triple-width” webs, for example with printing units withthree vertical newspaper pages or, for example, with six horizontalpages in tabloid format. The displacement of the two outside locatedhoppers 08, 26 is, in this case, of great advantage if all three strands03, 04, 29, or 03′, 04′, 29′ are to be conveyed independently of eachother by individually driven rollers 06, 07, 28, 31, 06′, 07′, 28′, 31′,or by individual divided rollers 06, 07, 06′, 07′, each with its owndrive motor 11, 12, 11′, 12′ at their respective ends.

While preferred embodiments of a device for the production of foldedproducts, in accordance with the present invention have been set forthfully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill inthe art that various changes in, for example, the types of printingpresses used, the specific drive motors for the rollers, and the likecould be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of thepresent invention which is accordingly to be limited only by theappended claims.

1-26. (canceled)
 27. A device for making folded products including atleast one partial web of a web comprising: a folder structure; a lowerhopper group having at least three lower hoppers including two outsidelower hoppers and an inside lower hopper in said folder structure, saidat least three lower hoppers being arranged horizontally displaced withrespect to each other in said lower hopper group in a directiontransverse to a running direction of a web to be folded, each said lowerhopper having a width of at least two vertical newspaper pages and atleast partially overlapping, viewed in the horizontal direction, intheir vertical extension, said at least three lower hoppers each havinga lower hopper tip, said three lower hopper tips being arranged on acommon level, whereby longitudinal folds formed in partial webs passingthrough said at least three lower hoppers engaging each other; and anupper hopper group located above said lower hopper group in said folderstructure, said upper hopper group including at least two upper hoppersarranged side by side in a horizontal direction, at least one of saidlower outside hoppers being displaced in a vertical direction by a firstheight from said inside hopper.
 28. The device of claim 27 whereinfolded partial web strands from said upper hopper groups are alldirected to pass beside said lower hopper group.
 29. A device for makingfolded web products from a plurality of partial webs comprising: afolder structure; at least first and second hopper groups in said folderstructure, each of said first and second hopper groups having at leastfirst and second hoppers which are displaced with respect to each othertransversely to a running direction of the web, said at least two hoppergroups at least partially overlapping in a horizontal direction, eachsaid hopper being adapted to form a longitudinal folded partial webstrand; and means locating said first hopper group below said secondhopper group, said second, upper hopper group having three upperhoppers, strands from said three upper hoppers being conducted on a sidearound said first, lower hopper group.
 30. A device for making foldedproducts from partial webs comprising: a folder structure; an upperhopper group and a lower hopper group in said folder structure, each ofsaid upper and lower hopper groups including at least two side by sidearranged hoppers, said upper hopper group and said lower hopper groupbeing at least partially overlapping in a vertical direction; a firstfolder and a second folder; and means directing folded partial webstrands from said upper hopper group all at one side of said lowerhopper group to said second folder.
 31. The device fo claim 30 whereinsaid lower hopper group has three lower hoppers.
 32. The device of claim27 wherein each of said hopper groups has three side-by-side arrangedhoppers.
 33. The device of claim 29 wherein each of said hopper groupshas three side-by-side arranged hoppers.
 34. The device of claim 30wherein each of said hopper groups has three side-by-side arrangedhoppers.
 35. The device of claim 32 further including means directingthree partial web strands from said upper hopper group to a folder onone side of said lower hopper group.
 36. The device of claim 33 furtherincluding means directing three partial web strands from said upperhopper group to a folder on one side of said lower hopper group.
 37. Thedevice of claim 34 further including means directing three partial webstrands from said upper hopper group to a folder on one side of saidlower hopper group.
 38. The device of claim 29 wherein said lower hoppergroup includes one hopper which is vertically displaced upwardly withrespect to remaining hoppers in said lower hopper group.
 39. The deviceof claim 30 wherein said lower hopper group includes one hopper which isvertically displaced upwardly with respect to remaining hoppers in saidlower hopper group.
 40. The device of claim 27 further including atleast one motor driven roller for conveying partial webs assigned to atleast two of the hoppers in each of said upper and lower hopper groupswhich are displaced horizontally from each other.
 41. The device ofclaim 38 further including at least one motor driven roller forconveying partial webs assigned to at least two of the hoppers in eachof said upper and lower hopper groups which are displaced horizontallyfrom each other.
 42. The device of claim 39 further including at leastone motor driven roller for conveying partial webs assigned to at leasttwo of the hoppers in each of said upper and lower hopper groups whichare displaced horizontally from each other.
 43. A device for makingfolded products from partial webs comprising: at least one hopper grouphaving at least first and second hoppers which are arranged horizontallydisplaced with respect to each other transversely to a running directionof a partial web and which, viewed in a horizontal direction, at leastpartially overlap in a vertical extension; at least one roller drivenfor rotation by a drive motor and adapted to convey a partial web to atleast one of said at least first and second hoppers; and a third hopperin said hopper group, said third hopper being arranged horizontallydisplaced with respect to said first and second hoppers in saiddirection transverse to said running direction of a partial web andwhich, viewed in a horizontal direction, is arranged at least partiallyoverlapping said first and second hoppers.
 44. The device of claim 43wherein one of said hoppers in said hopper group is arranged displacedin a vertical direction from said other hoppers.
 45. The device of claim27 further including a folding unit including first and second folderslocated underneath said folder structure, each said first and secondfolders having an inlet arranged symmetrically beneath a center planebetween two planes of symmetry of two adjoining hoppers of said hoppergroup located above each said folder.
 46. The device of claim 29 furtherincluding a folding unit including first and second folders locatedunderneath said folder structure, each said first and second foldershaving an inlet arranged symmetrically beneath a center plane betweentwo planes of symmetry of two adjoining hoppers of said hopper grouplocated above each said folder.
 47. The device of claim 30 furtherincluding a folding unit including first and second folders locatedunderneath said folder structure, each said first and second foldershaving an inlet arranged symmetrically beneath a center plane betweentwo planes of symmetry of two adjoining hoppers of said hopper grouplocated above each said folder.
 48. The device of claim 43 furtherincluding a folding unit including first and second folders locatedunderneath said folder structure, each said first and second foldershaving an inlet arranged symmetrically beneath a center plane betweentwo planes of symmetry of two adjoining hoppers of said hopper grouplocated above each said folder.
 49. A device for making folded productsincluding at least one partial web of a web comprising: a folderstructure; at least a first hopper group in said folder structure, saidfirst hopper group including three hoppers arranged displaced in respectto each other horizontally in a direction transverse to a runningdirection of the web, one of said three hoppers being verticallydisplaced with respect to two adjoining other ones of said threehoppers; and a folding unit located underneath said folder structure,said folding unit includes first and second folders each with a folderinlet, each said folder inlet being arranged symmetrically to a centerplane of symmetry defined by said two adjoining hoppers.
 50. The deviceof claim 44 further including a second hopper group having three hoppershorizontally displaced with respect to each other in said runningdirection of a web, said second hopper group being arranged above saidfirst hopper group.
 51. The device of claim 49 further including asecond hopper group having three hoppers horizontally displaced withrespect to each other in said running direction of a web, said secondhopper group being arranged above said first hopper group.
 52. Thedevice of claim 27 wherein said vertical displacement is a function of adistance between a first plane of symmetry of said vertically displacedhopper and a second plane of symmetry of said adjoining hoppers of saidhopper group.
 53. The device of claim 38 wherein said verticaldisplacement is a function of a distance between a first plane ofsymmetry of said vertically displaced hopper and a second plane ofsymmetry of said adjoining hoppers of said hopper group.
 54. The deviceof claim 39 wherein said vertical displacement is a function of adistance between a first plane of symmetry of said vertically displacedhopper and a second plane of symmetry of said adjoining hoppers of saidhopper group.
 55. The device of claim 44 wherein said verticaldisplacement is a function of a distance between a first plane ofsymmetry of said vertically displaced hopper and a second plane ofsymmetry of said adjoining hoppers of said hopper group.
 56. The deviceof claim 52 wherein said vertical displacement is selected whereby anangle between a reference point between said vertically displacementhopper and the same reference point of said adjoining, not verticallydisplaced hopper is at least 15°.
 57. The device of claim 53 whereinsaid vertical displacement is selected whereby an angle between areference point between said vertically displacement hopper and the samereference point of said adjoining, not vertically displaced hopper is atleast 15°.
 58. The device of claim 54 wherein said vertical displacementis selected whereby an angle between a reference point between saidvertically displacement hopper and the same reference point of saidadjoining, not vertically displaced hopper is at least 15°.
 59. Thedevice of claim 55 wherein said vertical displacement is selectedwhereby an angle between a reference point between said verticallydisplacement hopper and the same reference point of said adjoining, notvertically displaced hopper is at least
 150. 60. The device of claim 27wherein a maximum height of said vertical displacement is a function ofa distance between an upper outer limit of said vertically displacedhopper and a plane of symmetry of a hopper located on an upper side ofsaid upper hopper group.
 61. The device of claim 29 wherein a maximumheight of said vertical displacement is a function of a distance betweenan upper outer limit of said vertically displaced hopper and a plane ofsymmetry of a hopper located on an upper side of said upper hoppergroup.
 62. The device of claim 38 wherein a maximum height of saidvertical displacement is a function of a distance between an upper outerlimit of said vertically displaced hopper and a plane of symmetry of ahopper located on an upper side of said upper hopper group.
 63. Thedevice of claim 39 wherein a maximum height of said verticaldisplacement is a function of a distance between an upper outer limit ofsaid vertically displaced hopper and a plane of symmetry of a hopperlocated on an upper side of said upper hopper group.
 64. The device ofclaim 50 wherein a maximum height of said vertical displacement is afunction of a distance between an upper outer limit of said verticallydisplaced hopper and a plane of symmetry of a hopper located on an upperside of said upper hopper group.
 65. The device of claim 51 wherein amaximum height of said vertical displacement is a function of a distancebetween an upper outer limit of said vertically displaced hopper and aplane of symmetry of a hopper located on an upper side of said upperhopper group.
 66. The device of claim 60 wherein said maximum height hasa magnitude such that an angle between a horizontal line at a referencepoint at a level of a bottom reference point of the hopper group andsaid upper outer limit of said vertically displacement hopper is atleast 15°.
 67. The device of claim 61 wherein said maximum height has amagnitude such that an angle between a horizontal line at a referencepoint at a level of a bottom reference point of the hopper group andsaid upper outer limit of said vertically displacement hopper is atleast 15°.
 68. The device of claim 62 wherein said maximum height has amagnitude such that an angle between a horizontal line at a referencepoint at a level of a bottom reference point of the hopper group andsaid upper outer limit of said vertically displacement hopper is atleast
 150. 69. The device of claim 63 wherein said maximum height has amagnitude such that an angle between a horizontal line at a referencepoint at a level of a bottom reference point of the hopper group andsaid upper outer limit of said vertically displacement hopper is atleast 15°.
 70. The device of claim 64 wherein said maximum height has amagnitude such that an angle between a horizontal line at a referencepoint at a level of a bottom reference point of the hopper group andsaid upper outer limit of said vertically displacement hopper is atleast 15°.
 71. The device of claim 65 wherein said maximum height has amagnitude such that an angle between a horizontal line at a referencepoint at a level of a bottom reference point of the hopper group andsaid upper outer limit of said vertically displacement hopper is atleast 15°.
 72. The device of claim 56 wherein said reference point is anip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 73. The device of claim 57 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 74. The device of claim 58 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 75. The device of claim 59 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 76. The device of claim 66 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 77. The device of claim 67 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 78. The device of claim 68 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 79. The device of claim 69 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 80. The device of claim 70 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 81. The device of claim 71 wherein said reference point isa nip between a last pair of rollers toward a bottom of, and assigned tosaid hopper.
 82. The device of claim 56 wherein said reference point isa nip of said hopper.
 83. The device of claim 57 wherein said referencepoint is a nip of said hopper.
 84. The device of claim 58 wherein saidreference point is a nip of said hopper.
 85. The device of claim 59wherein said reference point is a nip of said hopper.
 86. The device ofclaim 27 wherein said hoppers which are not displaced are arranged on alevel.
 87. The device of claim 40 wherein said hoppers which are notdisplaced are arranged on a level.
 88. The device of claim 41 whereinsaid hoppers which are not displaced are arranged on a level.
 89. Thedevice of claim 42 wherein said hoppers which are not displaced arearranged on a level.
 90. The device of claim 44 wherein said hopperswhich are not displaced are arranged on a level.
 91. The device of claim49 wherein said hoppers which are not displaced are arranged on a level.92. The device of claim 27 wherein said folder structure is arrangedadjoining at least one printing unit of a printing press having a widthadapted to imprint webs with selectively four side-by-side arrangedvertical newspaper pages and eight side-by-side horizontal pages intabloid format.
 93. The device of claim 29 wherein said folder structureis arranged adjoining at least one printing unit of a printing presshaving a width adapted to imprint webs with selectively fourside-by-side arranged vertical newspaper pages and eight side-by-sidehorizontal pages in tabloid format.
 94. The device of claim 30 whereinsaid folder structure is arranged adjoining at least one printing unitof a printing press having a width adapted to imprint webs withselectively four side-by-side arranged vertical newspaper pages andeight side-by-side horizontal pages in tabloid format.
 95. The device ofclaim 43 wherein said folder structure is arranged adjoining at leastone printing unit of a printing press having a width adapted to imprintwebs with selectively four side-by-side arranged vertical newspaperpages and eight side-by-side horizontal pages in tabloid format.
 96. Thedevice of claim 49 wherein said folder structure is arranged adjoiningat least one printing unit of a printing press having a width adapted toimprint webs with selectively four side-by-side arranged verticalnewspaper pages and eight side-by-side horizontal pages in tabloidformat.
 97. The device of claim 27 further including at least oneweb-feeding roller associated with said vertically displaced hopper. 98.The device of claim 38 further including at least one web-feeding rollerassociated with said vertically displaced hopper.
 99. The device ofclaim 39 further including at least one web-feeding roller associatedwith said vertically displaced hopper.
 100. The device of claim 43further including at least one web-feeding roller associated with saidvertically displaced hopper.
 101. The device of claim 49 furtherincluding at least one web-feeding roller associated with saidvertically displaced hopper.
 102. The device of claim 27 wherein tips ofsaid displaced hopper and said adjoining hopper are located on a commonlevel constituted by a running direction of the strand leaving thehopper at said tip and a plane normal to the folder strand.
 103. Thedevice of claim 38 wherein tips of said displaced hopper and saidadjoining hopper are located on a common level constituted by a runningdirection of the strand leaving the hopper at said tip and a planenormal to the folder strand.
 104. The device of claim 39 wherein tips ofsaid displaced hopper and said adjoining hopper are located on a commonlevel constituted by a running direction of the strand leaving thehopper at said tip and a plane normal to the folder strand.
 105. Thedevice of claim 43 wherein tips of said displaced hopper and saidadjoining hopper are located on a common level constituted by a runningdirection of the strand leaving the hopper at said tip and a planenormal to the folder strand.
 106. The device of claim 49 wherein tips ofsaid displaced hopper and said adjoining hopper are located on a commonlevel constituted by a running direction of the strand leaving thehopper at said tip and a plane normal to the folder strand.